Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., urged the Trump administration Thursday to preserve temporary protected status for tens of thousands of Haitians in the U.S., arguing the situation in the Caribbean nation is "a humanitarian and political disaster."

Lawler's request came after the Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision, ruled that federal courts cannot review the government's decisions to end TPS for Syria and Haiti.

"While I have never disputed the ability of the President to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS), I strongly disagree with ending Haitian TPS at this time," Lawler wrote on X. "First, the situation on the ground in Haiti is a humanitarian and political disaster and continues to warrant an extension.

"The State Department has a Level 4 travel advisory telling all Americans to evacuate and not travel there precisely because the gangs are in charge of the country, engaged in gun and drug trafficking, and kidnapping innocent Haitians. We want to root it out and allow for a stable government to be established with a free and fair election, creating the conditions for a safe return for Haitians."

Lawler was one of 10 Republicans to join Democrats in passing a House bill in April directing the Department of Homeland Security to designate Haiti for TPS for 18 months. The bill, which passed by a 224-204 vote, has yet to be taken up by the Senate.

When asked whether President Donald Trump intends to heed Lawler's request not to end Haiti's TPS designation, the White House reiterated its support for the Supreme Court's ruling but did not directly address the congressman's request.

"This is a tremendous win for the Trump Administration," White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson wrote in a statement to Newsmax. "Today, the Supreme Court affirmed what President Trump has always maintained: temporary protected status is, by definition, temporary.

"It was never intended to be a pathway to permanent status or legal residency and it is committed to the discretion of the Secretary of Homeland Security. The Trump Administration continues to lawfully end the egregious abuses to our immigration system that have hurt Americans for years."

Congress established temporary protected status in 1990 to allow eligible foreign nationals to live and work legally in the United States if they cannot return safely to their home countries because of natural disasters, armed conflicts and other extraordinary conditions. DHS designates which countries qualify for TPS.

More than 353,000 Haitians have received TPS protections, The Washington Post reported. Haiti first received the designation after the 2010 earthquake, and it was later extended to include those who arrived afterward.

Haiti has faced several crises, including the 2021 assassination of its president and widespread gang violence. In February 2025, then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem made good on Trump's promise to limit the program, initiating the process to cancel temporary humanitarian protections.

"Second, of the 350,000+ lawful Haitian TPS holders, roughly 1/3rd work in our healthcare system," Lawler wrote. "Immediately shutting off TPS will create a crisis in our hospitals, nursing homes, and in the I/DD [intellectual and developmental disabilities] community.

"I'm asking the administration to allow for an orderly process by which Haitian TPS holders can maintain their work authorization while their immigration cases are adjudicated over the next six months, if the revocation of TPS moves forward."

Lawler concluded by urging the Senate to take up the legislation passed by the House to extend TPS for Haitians for 18 months. He co-led the legislation with Rep. Laura Gillen, D-N.Y.